On a beautiful Saturday evening more than 200 gathered at the Pittsburgh Marriott City Center for the Gateway Medical Society Scholarship Gala. The theme on Oct. 24 was “Closing the Gap” and Levi Walker, M.D. was honored as Physician of the Year.

Walker is the fifth of nine children born to Cecil Roosevelt and Edna Sutton Walker. He knew as a young child that he wanted to be a doctor. He entered the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 1980 at this same time he married the love of his life, the former Cheryl A. Carter.

HONORING THE MAN OF THE HOUR—Dr. Christopher Allen (Gateway Medical Society president) and Dr. Levi Walker (2009 Physician of the Year).

Walker hung up his shingle to practice medicine July 10, 1987 and opened his office in the Medical Center East building in East Liberty. He has been serving the community for 22 years. He has been mentored by some of Pittsburgh’s leading health care providers—Dr. Roosevelt Richardson, Dr. Charles Greenly, Dr. William B. Miller, Dr. Frank Sessoms, Dr. Edward James and Dr. Charles Hefflin to name a few.

BLACKWELL STEPPING DOWN—Reverend Eugene J. Blackwell stepped down as pastor of Bethesda Presbyterian Church, Homewood, effective Nov. 15. Blackwell preached his final sermon at Bethesda Nov. 1. He has served at Bethesda since 2004, first serving as student pastor and then ordained in 2006 as minister of Word and Sacrament. He has accepted a call to serve as organizing pastor for House of Manna, a new church development of Pittsburgh Presbytery to be based in Homewood.

Christmas concert

DEC. 6—The Music Department of Bethel AME Church, 2720 Webster Ave., Hill District, will host a Christmas Season Concert at 5 p.m. The concert will feature the C.H. Foggie/Allegheny AMEZ Conference Choir under the direction of James White. There will be a free will offering taken. For more information, call 412-683-2160 or visit www.bethel-ame-pgh.com.

(ARA)—The holiday season is officially under way and consumers will be hitting the stores to shop for their loved ones. Hot on holiday wish lists this year—technology. According to new data by the Consumer Electronics Association, about 80 percent of consumers said they want technology as a holiday gift.

With endless gift ideas to choose from, coming up with your shopping game plan for this holiday season can be quite a daunting task, but there are tons of resources online that can help you narrow down your search. Need a place to start? Office Depot’s Top 30 Smart Gifts is a list of the “must-have” smart gift items to help busy holiday shoppers find that perfect gift this season. Here are the season’s top gift ideas to consider when you are shopping this holiday:

How are you preparing your turkey this year? Roasted or deep fried? The deep fryers have been on sale everywhere. I’d like to try frying a turkey but I don’t think I want to make the investment in a turkey fryer. Maybe someone will invite me over for fried turkey so I can try it before I buy it.

Leftover turkey is the best part of the Thanksgiving meal. One of my favorite leftover treats is a turkey sandwich with lettuce, tomato, a smear of miracle whip and a couple slices of bacon.